Definitions for describe
dɪˈskraɪbde·scribe

Princeton's WordNet(4.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. describe, depict, draw(verb)

   give a description of

   "He drew an elaborate plan of attack"

2. report, describe, account(verb)

   to give an account or representation of in words

   "Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental"

3. trace, draw, line, describe, delineate(verb)

   make a mark or lines on a surface

   "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand"

4. identify, discover, key, key out, distinguish, describe, name(verb)

   identify as in botany or biology, for example

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. describe(Verb)

   To represent in words.

   The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.

   Etymology: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

2. describe(Verb)

   To give rise to a geometrical structure.

   Etymology: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

3. describe(Verb)

   To scientifically reveal a new species by technically explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other species.

   The fungus was first described by a botanist.

   Etymology: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

Webster Dictionary(1.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe(verb)

   to represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle

2. Describe(verb)

   to represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities

3. Describe(verb)

   to distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class

4. Describe(verb)

   to use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe

   dē-skrīb′, v.t. to trace out or delineate: to give an account of.—adj. Describ′able.—n. Describ′er. [L. describĕre—de, down, and scribĕre, scriptum, to write.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. describe

   To create using words.

   They did describe how they felt and it was great to know they too were also happy and felt very loved.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 16, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2425

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2430

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Verbs Frequency: #93

How to pronounce describe?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say describe in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of describe in a Sentence

1. Kelly Wroblewski:

   But instead of asking each state to describe their approach, providing guidance on how one might approach that would be helpful.

2. Raymond Lowe:

   There's always going to be that desire to get out because it's the camaraderie that you find out here, it's hard to describe the feeling and how genuine everyone is and just how good it is to be able to help.

3. Mohammad Abd Rabboh:

   We witnessed things that are difficult to describe, you walk in the street and someone falls dead right in front of you.

4. Eddie Phillips:

   It is a valid criticism to say we have not convinced the public to walk more appreciably, and those recommendations will remain, but if we can now recommend to patients that, ‘Gees, if you just get up out of your chair when the commercial comes on or drink more water and have to go to the bathroom,’ even that is enough to break up the prolonged sedentary bouts they describe in the research.

5. Henry David Thoreau:

   We are armed with language adequate to describe each leaf of the filed, but not to describe human character.

Images & Illustrations of describe

Popularity rank by frequency of use